Panafrican/Komatsu Commits to Rugby Development in Ghana

Accra, Ghana, May 23, 2018: Ghana Rugby and the national rugby team, the Ghana Eagles, invited the General Manager of Panafrican Equipment (Panafrican), Tim Callaghan, to the Secretariat in Osu-Accra to share the 2018 Rugby Africa Bronze Cup (Bronze Cup) with the company in appreciation of the enormous contribution of Panafrican towards Ghana Rugby (Panafrican).

Panafrican/Komatsu became the main sponsor of Ghana Rugby in September 2017 when the company was introduced to the Union by a former Ghana Eagle, Dan Hoppe.

Since then Panafrican/Komatsu has extended the support to Ghana Rugby to such an extent that the hosting of the Bronze Cup would not have been possible without their support according to the President of Ghana Rugby, Herbert Mensah.

In a post on his Facebook Page, Mensah had the following to say.

“Sports is big business and requires significant support and funding. At Ghana Rugby from the outset, we planned and worked strategically to climb the ladder and win off-field in order to gain the respect of our governing body and to attract sponsors and to win on the field.

As administrators, the winning off-the-field is everything as the legitimacy provides the platform for attracting all-important capital and support.

Ghana Rugby’s association with Panafrican has been and is invaluable and when their Boss, Tim Callaghan, came to discuss the possibility of extending their association with Ghana Rugby, the senior players and coaches presented him with the Bronze Cup Trophy.

Tim shocked (positively) all of us when he confirmed that Panafrican had made two massively important scrummaging machines for Ghana Rugby and others would be forthcoming.

We can now look forward to preparations for the Africa 7s in October, The Silver Cup in 2019 and the Africa Ladies 7s also in 2019 with greater hope!

To date The Golden Tulip, Gino and Interplast have also been significant supporters of Ghana Rugby!”

Panafrican’s Callaghan said that the Group is proud to be associated with Ghana Rugby and that the trust they placed in its President, Herbert Mensah, paid off handsomely with the winning of the Bronze Cup.

“Panafrican/Komatsu derive much value from its operations in Ghana and our association with Ghana Rugby is one way of showing our commitment to the country and to helping Ghana Rugby to instil the essential character-building values of rugby in the youth taking part in the sport in Ghana,” Callaghan said.

Panafrican/Komatsu also indicated that the Group is keen to get involved in the development side of Rugby in Ghana with regards to both youth development through the World Rugby “Get Into Rugby” programme and the development of women in Ghana Rugby.

Callaghan said that he looks forward to a long term relationship between Panafican/Komatsu and Ghana Rugby and that the Group will be entering into negotiations with the President, Mr Herbert Mensah, in the near future.

Ghana Rugby achieved a series of accolades in fewer than four years since Mensah and his administration took over on 5 June 2014 (Panafrican).

The Union ringed in a series of governance and administrative measures to ensure compliance with World Rugby requirements. In addition, it managed to successfully host and win the 2017 Rugby Africa Regional Challenge – West 1 by beating both Benin and Togo in May 2017.

Shortly after this victory, World Rugby acknowledged the efforts of the Union by awarding it Full Membership of World Rugby on 10 May 2017.

This step opened the doors for Ghana rugby to seriously pursue Mensah’s vision of taking Ghana Rugby to higher levels towards entering the global stage of rugby in terms of World Rugby tournaments and the Olympics.

In October 2017 it managed to get a ranking for the first time on the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens circuit.

The Bronze Cup win ensured that Ghana Rugby qualified for the Rugby Africa Silver Cup in 2019, a step that brings it closer to the Gold Cup and to a shot to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. —- APO Group / Image: Ghana Rugby Football Union